Lawsuit accuses Comcast, Al Sharpton of discriminating against black-owned media

Today’s post was shared by The Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group and comes from www.washingtonpost.com

A lawsuit against Comcast, Time Warner Cable Inc., Rev. Al Sharpton and the NAACP alleges that the media companies discriminated against black-owned businesses and paid activists like Sharpton to “whitewash” its practices. The complaint alleges that Comcast gave large donations to Sharpton, the NAACP and other civil rights groups to make it appear that the cable company was promoting diversity, even while it was failing to follow through on a promise to do so.

The lawsuit, seeking $20 billion, was filed in Los Angeles federal court Friday by Entertainment Studios, a television company founded by black producer and comedian Byron Allen and the National Association of African-American Owned Media (NAAAOM). The complaint, which comes as regulators mull a $45-billion merger between Comcast and TWC, alleges that Comcast has refused to do business with Allen and other black media executives.

“Comcast has engaged in, and is engaging in, pernicious, intentional racial discrimination in contracting,” it reads. Whether or not it gets anywhere is another question. Anyone can file a lawsuit alleging anything and claiming any amount of money.

Both Sharpton and Comcast dismissed the allegations Monday. In an interview with Variety, Sharpton called the lawsuit a “bogus statement from a person who has no credibility” and he told the Hollywood Reporter that he will be bringing…

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